Additive manufacturing for data centers: market potential and applications

Additive manufacturing technologies are becoming increasingly important in more and more industries. A recent market study by Additive Manufacturing Research (AM Research) in cooperation with the Energize.AM consortium examines the potential of 3D printing for data center infrastructure. The focus is particularly on thermal solutions for hyperscale data centers. These facilities, which comprise at least 5,000 servers, are essential for the rapidly growing AI and cloud applications and require increasingly optimized cooling systems.

According to the analysis, around 2,000 powder bed fusion (PBF) systems could be needed by 2033 to produce cold plates and other components for data centers. This figure is already higher than the number of machines sold annually in the entire AM market. In addition to PBF technology, other additive processes are also likely to be used to meet the growing demand. Regulatory requirements and geopolitical uncertainties that affect supply chains pose particular challenges. 3D printing offers advantages here, as it enables decentralized production and can therefore reduce dependence on international supply chains.

Another focus of the study is the development of new designs for cooling systems. Additive manufacturing enables complex geometries that would be difficult to implement using conventional methods. This includes the optimization of cooling channels in order to achieve more efficient heat dissipation. Companies such as Alfa Laval, Asetek and Conflux Technology are already working on innovative concepts to make data centers more energy-efficient in the future.

The study is based on proprietary market data and forecasting models as well as interviews with industry experts. In addition to a detailed analysis, it also provides an Excel database with relevant market figures. This provides investors and decision-makers in additive manufacturing with a sound basis for strategic planning. With the expected growth of hyperscale data centers, the importance of additive manufacturing in this segment is likely to increase further.